The Results

Stolen: A Letter to My Captor by Lucy Christopher

This is a genre-bending psychological novel that’s very challenging. It’s YA, but mature, and told in second person, in the form of a letter from a kidnapped girl to her captor. It takes place in the Australian outback and the landscape adds to the atmosphere of the novel.

My Beating Teenage Heart by C.K. Kelly Martin

This is an interesting contemporary YA that unfolds slowly, with elements of mystery, a dash of paranormal-ish as one of the narrators is, well, a ghost. It is a compex read, and in true Martin fashion, the novel unfolds at a measured pace.

An unusual contemporary-meets paranormal with a mystery element, Fracture is a strange little novel about life and death with a mysterious element ever looming. Even after i read it, I wasn’t sure if it was supposed to be a paranormal novel or a contemporary about the limits of the human brain. 2014 will bring us a companion novel that will hopefully help explain things.

Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf

This is a very memorable book with a strong mystery. Breaking Beautiful unravels the mystery behind the night the main character’s boyfriend died, as she questions how and why it all happened. There are loads of surprises in this excellent debut.

Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King

This is a favorite novel of most of us here on CEFS. Please Ignore Vera Dietz is a tough read at times, but the switching points-of-view and creative storytelling make it unputdownable. It’s hard to say much else, but you’ll be wrapped up in Vera and the secrets behind her friend Charlie’s death the second you start reading. And, really, anything by A.S. King will probably fit the bill here—her writing is so strong and her storytelling is absolutely unique.

Renegade Rebeca recommend Ashfall as a different sort of dystopian/post-apocalyptic tale about surviving a volcanic disaster. There’s loads of action and a bit of romance to make this a good choice for a fresh take on this popular genre.

Sarah is a digital geek, tater tot enthusiast, sports fan, book dork, and advocate for drinking sparkling wine while taking a bubble bath. By day, she runs a boutique digital communications company in Portland, Oregon, by night she's a certified Netflix Enthusiast and wrangler of a crazy Australian Shepherd. She also happens to be the proprietress of Clear Eyes, Full Shelves.

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Sarah is a digital geek, tater tot enthusiast, sports fan, book dork, and advocate for drinking sparkling wine while taking a bubble bath. By day, she runs a boutique digital communications company in Portland, Oregon, by night she's a certified Netflix Enthusiast and wrangler of a crazy Australian Shepherd. She also happens to be the proprietress of Clear Eyes, Full Shelves.